Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is still uncertainty about the spring 2021 art exhibition schedule in London. Nevertheless, Artalistic brings you their top picks for art exhibitions due to open in London over the next few months. Illustration: Paula Rego, The Dance, 1988.



Key art exhibitions in London: 2021 schedule



Paula Rego retrospective at the Tate Britain: July 7 – October 24, 2021

The Tate Britain is holding one of the largest exhibitions of Paula Rego’s work to ever be shown. This exhibition is an exhaustive retrospective of the artist’s work, beginning with her debut pieces created in the 1950s and spanning her prolific career, including collages, paintings, large-scale pastels, ink and pencil drawings, etchings and sculptures. Paula Rego has played a pivotal role in redefining figurative art with her storybook inspired imagery and imaginative narratives. This art exhibition is being held in London, the city this Portuguese artist has called her home for most of her life.



An art exhibition in London that printmaking lovers shouldn’t miss!



Helen Frankenthaler: Radical Beauty – Dulwich Picture Gallery, September 15, 2021 – April 17, 2022

London’s premier art exhibition of woodcuts by Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011), one of the world’s leading Abstract Expressionist, will be held at the Dulwich Picture Gallery from September 15, 2021 – April 17, 2022. Frankenthaler was a key figure in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to Color Field painting. Now, ten years after her death, this exhibition showcases her expansive, fluid and colorful woodcuts. Frankenthaler created an astounding body of work during her six-decade long career, experimenting in several mediums. This is a rare chance to see such an extensive collection of her woodcuts and should be added to your list of must-see London art exhibitions opening in 2021.



Dürer’s Journeys: Travels of a Renaissance Artist – The National Gallery, Nov 20, 2021 – Dec 27, 2022

This astounding exhibition will be the first time in almost 20 years that the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer’s work will be on display in a major art exhibition in London at the National Gallery. This exhibition follows Dürer through his travels across Europe, featuring drawings, prints, paintings and even letters that have been gathered from collections from around the world. Travels of a Renaissance Artist brings to light the inspiration Dürer had on other artists of the time. This exhibit clearly reflects the result of his exchange of ideas with the various artists he encountered during his travels.



Other promising art exhibitions in London 2021



James Barnor: Accra/London – A Retrospective, Serpentine North Gallery, May 19 – October 22, 2021

The Serpentine in London will be holding one of the largest retrospectives of British-Ghanaian photographer James Barnor. The show is comprised of photographs from his six-decade long career photographing both Ghana and London, including studio portraits, photojournalism and his signature Black Lifestyle photography. This is an excellent art exhibition to check out in London if you are interested in seeing photographs full of life that capture Henri Cartier-Bresson-esque decisive moments.



Michael Armitage: Paradise Edict – Royal Academy of Arts, May 22 – September 19, 2021

This show will be featuring 15 large-scale paintings from Michael Armitage, a Kenyan-born artist who works between Nairobi and London. His colourful, dreamlike paintings will be accompanied by 31 works by six other East African contemporary artists: Meek Gichugu, Jak Katarikawe, Theresa Musoke, Asaph Ng’ethe Macua, Elimo Njau and Sane Wadu. The Royal Academy of Arts selected these artists for their role in shaping figurative painting in Kenya.



David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020 – Royal Academy of Arts, May 23 – September 26, 2021

If you plan your schedule for visiting art exhibitions in London carefully you will be able to see this show and the previously mentioned Michael Armitage exhibition during the same visit! The Royal Academy of Arts is showing David Hockney’s 116 paintings created during the pandemic on his iPad. This hopeful exhibition is filled with brightly colored optimistic pieces that sing praise to the natural world.



The EY Exhibition: The Making of Rodin – Tate Modern, May 18 – November 21, 2021

Sculpture-lovers are in for a treat with this art exhibition at London’s Tate Modern, featuring lesser-known works by Auguste Rodin. You will feel as if you have walked into the artist’s studio. This experience is designed to offer you an insider’s look into Rodin’s process, highlighting his use of plaster.



Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms – Tate Modern, May 18, 2021 – June 12, 2022

Also showing at the Tate Modern in London from 2021 – 2022, this art exhibition is so popular tickets are currently sold out. But don’t worry you can sign up to hear when more tickets go on sale in September. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be transported outside of this universe with Yayoi Kusama’s immersive installations of endless reflections.



Turner’s Modern World – Tate Britain, May, 2020 – September 12, 2021

This exhibition showcases pieces by J.M.W. Turner, which capture the changes going on at the peak of the industrial revolution. Turner was fascinated by the great shift technology had on modern life. Turner is one of the greatest British painters and a perfect place to round up our list of must-see 2021 art exhibitions in London.



We hope that you can enjoy some of the London based art exhibitions in person instead of our newly normalized digital museum trips. Be sure to check the venue’s website before heading out your artistic adventure to be sure that there were no sudden cancelations. Checking the site will also allow you to be up to date on the health standard protocols in place at the time of your visit. Feel free to browse our carefully curated collection of online galleries, featuring paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs and limited edition prints by well-established and emerging artists.